S S van Dine

Nightclub singer Margaret Odell, the famous Broadway beauty and ex-Follies girl known as "The Canary", is found murdered in her ransacked apartment, her jewelry stolen. It appears at first to be a robbery gone wrong, but the police can find no physical evidence to pinpoint a culprit. No one witnessed anyone entering or leaving, and the only unwatched entrance to the apartment building was bolted from the inside.Who could have killed the Canary in her locked cage? The victim was seeing a number of men, ranging from a high society gentleman to ruthless gangsters, and more than one man visited her apartment on the night she died. When the D.A. is stumped, he turns to his friend Philo Vance, an erudite and snobbish aristocrat, who applies his brilliant observations of human nature during a poker game with the suspects to determine who in fact knocked the Canary from her perch-permanently.

Delve into the intricate world of the crime fiction genre as S. S. Van Dine provides an in-depth analysis and critique of what makes a great detective story. In this essay, S. S. Van Dine examines the various elements that make a brilliant detective novel, including plot, characterisation, and setting. Exploring the works of famous detective novelists such as Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle, and G. K. Chesterton, Van Dine provides insights into the styles, techniques, and themes used by these writers. First published in Scribner's Magazine in 1926 under Van Dine's pseudonym, Willard Huntington Wright, The Detective Novel provides a comprehensive overview of the genre. Whether you're a seasoned reader of detective novels or a newcomer to the genre, this essay offers an engaging and thought-provoking look at one of the most popular and enduring forms of fiction.

The beautiful Margaret Odell, famous Broadway beauty and ex-Follies girl known as "The Canary", is found murdered in her apartment. She has a number of men in her life, ranging from high society to gangsters, and more than one man visited her apartment on the night she dies. It is Philo Vance's characteristic erudition that leads him to a key clue that allows him to penetrate a very clever alibi and reveal the killer. "The strangeness, the daring, the seeming impenetrability of the crime marked it as one of the most singular and astonishing cases in New York's police annals; and had it not been for Philo Vance's participation in its solution, I firmly believe it would have remained one of the great unsolved mysteries of this country."A film, The Canary Murder Case, was made by Paramount Pictures in 1929, directed by Malcolm St. Clair and Frank Tuttle and starring William Powell as Philo Vance and Louise Brooks as the Canary.

All of Wall Street and Manhattan high society is abuzz after playboy stockbroker Alvin Benson is discovered dead in his brownstone mansion, slumped over in an easy chair with a bullet in his head. The man's body is found in a room locked from the inside, and his head is missing the toupee that usually adorned it. Ballistics experts, detectives, and the NYPD's top brass can't solve the crime, but luckily they don't have to: New York's leading flaneur and art connoisseur, Philo Vance, is on the case, and he's got precisely the far-flung and esoteric knowledge needed to interpret the clues and determine whodunnit. By carefully examining the crime scene and reconstructing the deadly shooting, Vance determines a number of things about the murderer, including his or her height--and this is only the first of many deductive feats that he will pull off before the investigation comes to a close. But will he be able to pierce the alibi of the true killer and prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt? The first novel in one of the most influential detective series of the early twentieth century, The Benson Murder Case introduces iconic amateur sleuth Philo Vance with a plot loosely based on the true-life murder of a famous bridge player. Its aristocratic Golden Age New York setting, obscure art cultural references, and devilishly complicated puzzle plot make this a must-read for nostalgia buffs and for anyone who appreciates a classic mystery.

All of Wall Street and Manhattan high society is abuzz after playboy stockbroker Alvin Benson is discovered dead in his brownstone mansion, slumped over in an easy chair with a bullet in his head. The man's body is found in a room locked from the inside, and his head is missing the toupee that usually adorned it. Ballistics experts, detectives, and the NYPD's top brass can't solve the crime, but luckily they don't have to: New York's leading flaneur and art connoisseur, Philo Vance, is on the case, and he's got precisely the far-flung and esoteric knowledge needed to interpret the clues and determine whodunnit.By carefully examining the crime scene and reconstructing the deadly shooting, Vance determines a number of things about the murderer, including his or her height--and this is only the first of many deductive feats that he will pull off before the investigation comes to a close. But will he be able to pierce the alibi of the true killer and prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt?The first novel in one of the most influential detective series of the early twentieth century, The Benson Murder Case introduces iconic amateur sleuth Philo Vance with a plot loosely based on the true-life murder of a famous bridge player. Its aristocratic Golden Age New York setting, obscure art cultural references, and devilishly complicated puzzle plot make this a must-read for nostalgia buffs and for anyone who appreciates a classic mystery.

The first novel in one of the most influential detective series of the early twentieth century, The Benson Murder Case introduces iconic amateur sleuth Philo Vance with a plot loosely based on the true-life murder of a famous bridge player. Its aristocratic Golden Age New York setting, obscure art cultural references, and devilishly complicated puzzle plot make this a must-read for nostalgia buffs and for anyone who appreciates a classic mystery. All of Wall Street and Manhattan high society is abuzz after playboy stockbroker Alvin Benson is discovered dead in his brownstone mansion, slumped over in an easy chair with a bullet in his head. The man's body is found in a room locked from the inside, and his head is missing the toupee that usually adorned it. Ballistics experts, detectives, and the NYPD's top brass can't solve the crime, but luckily they don't have to: New York's leading flaneur and art connoisseur, Philo Vance, is on the case, and he's got precisely the far-flung and esoteric knowledge needed to interpret the clues and determine whodunnit. By carefully examining the crime scene and reconstructing the deadly shooting, Vance determines a number of things about the murderer, including his or her height-and this is only the first of many deductive feats that he will pull off before the investigation comes to a close. But will he be able to pierce the alibi of the true killer and prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt?

New York dilettante Philo Vance decides to assist the police in investigating the death of another man-about-town because he finds the psychological aspects of the crime of interest, and feels that they would be beyond the capacities of the police, even those of his friend District Attorney Markham. Vance investigates the circumstances under which the body was found and reconstructs the crime sufficiently to determine that the murderer is five feet, ten and a half inches in height. Together, Vance and Markham investigate Benson's business associates and romantic interests until Vance manages to pierce the murderer's alibi for the time of the murder and force a confession.Philo Vance is a fictional amateur detective originally featured in 12 crime novels by S. S. Van Dine in the 1920s and 1930s. During that time, Vance was immensely popular in books, films and radio. He was portrayed as a stylish, even foppish dandy, a New York bon vivant possessing a highly intellectual bent. "S. S. Van Dine" was the pen name of Willard Huntington Wright, a prominent art critic who initially sought to conceal his authorship of the novels. Van Dine was also a fictional character in the books, a sort of Dr. Watson figure who accompanied Vance and chronicled his exploits.

Like The Gracie Allen Murder Case before it, Winter was first written as a screenplay, in this case a vehicle for the figure skater Sonja Henie. However, while Allen’s scatterbrained persona made a charming foil for Philo’s stuffed-shirt pretensions, Ms. Henie provided no such inspiration. Van Dine did not live long enough to see her outed as a Nazi supporter, but her ice-princess act offered less for Philo to play against. It should be noted that Winter was published posthumously to close out the series, and though it went to press without Van Dine’s usual repeated revisions, it is true vintage Philo—utterly distinctive in style and its own very genuine kind of pleasure.

Gracie Allen breaks the Philo Phormula in a number of ways. First is its title: this is the only book in the series to modify “Murder Case” with more than one word, much less with the name of a character. And then there’s that character: Gracie Allen was a very real, much-loved comedienne in the 1930s, famous for her double act with George Burns, and in fact the plot revolves around her. Gracie’s centrality is no accident: Van Dine wrote the story as a vehicle for Allen, and actually created the novel only after the film had come out. So do all these departures pay off? We’d be lying if we said that Gracie hits every single mark, but Van Dine does a surprisingly entertaining job of translating Ms. Allen’s delicious Ditzy Blonde persona to the page, and she makes a charming foil for Philo’s evergreen erudition.

The "tremendous popularity" (New York Times) of the Philo Vance series stems in part from author S.S. Van Dine's preference for ripping his plots from the headlines of the day. By the early '30s, when Casino came around, those headlines included some creepy chemical discoveries and scandalous doings at secret Manhattan gambling dens, where rich folks knocked back cocktails and played roulette, snickering at both the Depression and the Volsted Act. Philo, of course, is no stranger to cocktails or to snickering, and he knows more about creepy chemicals than the management at Dow. This comes in handy when the owners of a secret Manhattan gambling den are poisoned, perhaps by some new and creepy chemical. As deliciously, irritatingly erudite as ever, Philo is in his element here, solving what one reviewer called an "uncommonly subtle" crime.

No question, The Dragon Murder Case showcases Our Philo at his most supremely irritating. The book is set at a mansion in the northern reaches of Manhattan, complete with picturesque pool. Into that pool dives Sanford Montague, never to be seen again. Fools (and as usual, they're thick on the ground) rush to blame the supernatural: They note that the pool is known as the "Dragon Pool," supposedly home to a monster known to the Lenape Indians. Philo's not so sure: He is (of course) an expert on both dragons and the Lenape Indians, with a sort of sideline expertise in pools and fish. It would be tempting to sympathize with Ogden Nash's claim that "Philo Vance needs a kick in the pance." But, as the New York Times noted, "The piscatorial side of this book, at least, is authentic. The author is on the Board of Governors of the Aquarium Society of New York, and has won many prizes with his fish." Philo may be a know-it-all, but apparently he comes by it honestly. By the time you reach the end of Dragon, you will almost certainly want to aim your boot at Vance's posterior, but you will have had a swell time getting there.

Members of the Greene family keep dying while the pool of possible perpetrators keeps shrinking. Philo Vance—the independently wealthy, staggeringly brilliant, not remotely modest amateur sleuth—uses his detective skills to unravel the murders, though sadly not before most of the Greene family has been bumped off.

The Book of the Scottish Terrier is a comprehensive guide to the Scottish Terrier breed written by Fayette Ewing. The book provides a detailed history of the breed, including its origins in Scotland and its evolution over time. It also covers the physical characteristics, temperament, and health concerns of Scottish Terriers, as well as tips for training and caring for them.The book is divided into several sections, each covering a different aspect of the breed. The first section provides an overview of the breed's history and characteristics, including its appearance, temperament, and personality traits. The second section covers the Scottish Terrier's health concerns and common medical issues that owners should be aware of.The third section of the book is dedicated to training and caring for Scottish Terriers, with tips on everything from housebreaking to obedience training. The fourth section covers the breed's participation in dog shows and competitions, including information on how to prepare a Scottish Terrier for the show ring.Throughout the book, Ewing provides personal anecdotes and insights into the breed, drawing on her own experience as a Scottish Terrier owner and breeder. The book is illustrated with numerous photographs and includes a glossary of Scottish Terrier-related terms.Overall, The Book of the Scottish Terrier is an informative and engaging guide for anyone interested in this beloved breed. It provides a wealth of information on the history, characteristics, and care of Scottish Terriers, making it an essential resource for both new and experienced owners.With Chapters Applicable To The Hygienic Care, Rearing, And Treatment Of All Dogs.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.